Fiber producing apparatus with break out control means

ABSTRACT

A RESILIENT ELEMENT IN A MERCURY SWITCH IS ATTRACTED BY A MAGNET ATTACHED TO A WEIGHTED ARM OF A PIVOTED GATHERING SHOE WHICH GROUPS FILAMENTS INTO A STRAND TO COMPLETE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR THE WINDER MOTORS AND TRAVERSE. UPON BREAK-OUT OF THE STRAND, THE SHOE PIVOTS, THE MERCURY SWITCH IS OPENED AND THE WINDER AND TRAVERSE MOTORS ARE ELECTRICALLY DISCONECTED AND STOP OPERATING.

7 -FIBE R PRODUCING APPARATUS WITH-BREAK .OUT CONTROL MEANS Filed July 9", 1968 J. D. MINKLER Feb. 2,1971

3 Sheets-Sheet; 1

INVENTOR fJAc/aqu law/men.

Y w amuu ATTORNEYS Feb. 2,1971 J. D. MINKLER 3,560,178

l x BER PRODUCING APPARATUS WITH BREAK OUT CONTROL MEANS 7 Filed July 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JACK, 01V D. MINK 1.81%

ATTORNEY,

J. D. MINKLER Feb. 2, 1971 FIBER PRODUCING APPARATUS WITH BREAK OUT CONTROL MEANS Filed July 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JACKSON 0. MIN/(L 6K,

M Xaww ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,560,178 FIBER PRODUCING APPARATUS WITH BREAK OUT CONTROL MEANS Jackson D. Minkler, Lexington, N.C., assignor to PPG Industries, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 9, 1968, Ser. No. 743,559 Int. 'Cl. C03b 37/02 US. Cl. 65-11 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A resilient element in a mercury switch is attracted by a magnet attached to a weighted arm of a pivoted gathering shoe which groups filaments into a strand to complete the electrical circuit for the winder motors and traverse. Upon break-out of the strand, the shoe pivots, the mercury switch is opened and the winder and traverse motors are electrically disconected and stop operating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The process for manufacturing fiber glass includes the steps of flowing streams of glass from orifices in an electrically heated bushing which contains a supply of glass, attenuating the Streams into filaments, grouping the streams into a strand and winding the strand on a tube as a package. The winder is generally an electrically driven rotating member and applies the attenuating force to the streams of glass at the bushing. A traversing means, such as a spiral, similar to that described in Beach US. Pat. No. 2,391,870, distributes the strand on the package. Generally, the winder rotates at a high rate of speed as on thet order of 4,000 to 7,200 r.p.m. or above.

There are a plurality of fiber-forming positions being supplied with molten glass from a single furnace and each includes a bushing, winder, etc. Each is separated from the next adjacent position by a sheet metal divider.

When a strand breaks out, the winder motor remains energized, so that the end of the strand on the package whips against the position divider plates and traverse and generally breaks into small fragments which are thrown into the air. During these times, beads form at the bushing and fall onto the rotating parts, such as the package and traverse, and cause damage thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a mercury switch is included in the circuit and its operation is controlled by a magnet attached to a pivoted gathering shoe such that upon break-out of the strand, the switch is opened and electric circuit which supplies current to the winder motor and the traverse motor is interrupted. The winder and the traverse then cease to rotate. An operator observing such stoppage can then attend to the particular forming position, remove the partially-formed package and renew the formation of strand at the position. At all times during actual operation when a package is being formed, the electric circuit is under the control of the strand.

The mercury switch includes a spring-mounted contact which is attracted by the magnet attached to a counterweighted, pivoted arm carrying the shoe and moves to a position where it contacts the pool of mercury in the switch, so as to complete the electrical circuit for the traverse and winder. This can occur only when the strand contacts the shoe. Upon break-out of the strand, the arm pivots and the magnet moves to a position where the attractive force on the switch contact is insufficient to maintain it in position in the pool of mercury.

Patented Feb. 2, 1971 ice THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustration of a typical fiber glass-producing arrangement showing a plurality of forming positions.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of a gathering shoe actually in operating position with parts broken away, constructed in accordance with this invention and showing in broken lines the electric circuit controlled thereby;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the shoe in inoperative position; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the shoe assembly illustrated in FIG. 2.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a typical fiber glass forming arrangement including a plurality of forming positions. Each position includes a bushing 10 suitably heated by electric current and having a plurality of orifices therethrough for the passage of molten glass as streams 12 which are attenuated into fibers 14. The fibers are grouped by a gathering shoe 16, part of which is covered by a guard 17, into a strand 18 collected as a package 20 on a rotating collet 22 of a winder 2'4 driven by an electric motor 26. The winder supplies the attenuating force to the streams 12. A traverse 28 rotated by an electric motor 30 distributes the strand on the package 20. The fibers, before being grouped as a strand are drawn across a binder applicator 32, such as a roller or belt, and a binder is applied to the individual fibers. The forming positions are separated from one another by position dividers 34.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the gathering shoe 16 is a circular element having a groove 36 in which to receive the fibers. The shoe is generally constructed of graphite, so that the fibers are not abraded by contact therewith. The shoe 16 is attached to and supported on a counterweighted, pivoted arm 3-8, so as to be in its FIG. 2 position when fibers are being grouped into a strand and in its FIG. 3 position when no fibers are being grouped into a strand. A magnet 40 is connected to the arm 38 by being held for adjustment by a set screw 42 in a receptacle 44 fixed to the arm 38. The function of the magnet 40 will be later described.

The arm 38 and thus the graphite shoe 16 are supported in a bracket or housing 46 which is received in the arrangement of FIG. 1 and which, because of its construction and mounting, as by its slotted portion 48 and a wing nut on the assembly, is easily removed and replaced, when required. The shoe 16 can also be easily replaced on the arm 38 because it is held thereon by means of a wing nut 50, which permits rotation to a different position as wear occurs.

A mercury switch 52 is attached to the housing 46 and connected as shown to a source of electrical energy and to the traverse motor 30 and the winder motor 26. The mercury switch includes a pool of mercury 54, a fixed contact 56 in the pool of mercury, and a movable spring or coil-mounted contact 58 having a metal reed 60 thereon for movement into and out of the pool of mercury 54. When the shoe is in its FIG. 2 position, the magnet 40 is very close to or against the housing of the mercury switch and the reed 60 of the contact 58 is attracted by magnetic energy and moves such that the contact 58 is in the pool of mercury. The circuit to the motors 26 and 30 is completed.

Upon breakage of the fibers and when no fibers contact the shoe 16, the counterweight 62 causes the arm 38 to pivot to its FIG. 3 position, and the magnet 40 is moved away from the switch 52. The attractive force of the magnet in this position is not of suflicient strength to maintain the contact 58 in the pool of mercury, so that the springmounted contact 58 moves to a position out of the pool of mercury and the circuit is broken, stopping rotation of,

both the traverse motor and the winder motor.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for producing fiber glass including a bushing having orifices through which streams of molten glass flow, means to attenuate the streams into filaments, and a gathering shoe to gather the filaments into a strand, a winder driven by an electric motor to collect said strand as a package and a traverse driven by an electric motor to distribute the strand on the package, and means connecting said motors to an electric current, the improvement comprising means contacting the filaments and strand to interrupt said electric current to said motors when said contact is broken and in which said means includes said gathering shoe.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said gathering shoe is mounted on a pivoted arm and said shoe and arm are in one position when said shoe is engaged by said filaments and strand and in another position when not so engaged, and means attached to said pivoted arm to con trol said circuit and to cause interruption thereof when said shoe is not engaged by said filaments and strand.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which a mercury 4 switch is included in said means connecting said motors to an electric current and a magnet attached to said arm controls the interruption of the current.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said mercury switch includes a pool of mercury, a fixed contact in said pool of mercury, and a resiliently mounted con tact, said magnet in said one position attracting said resiliently mounted contact and moving it into said pool of mercury.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,292 5/1927 Matthews et al 242-37 2,725,202 11/1955 McBride 242-37X 3,268,314 8/1966 Stephens et a1. 6511W 3,301,647 1/1967 Shafer 65-11W 3,402,269 9/ 1968 Gregory 242-36X S. LEON BASHORE, Primary Examiner R. L. LINDSAY, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. 'X.R. 

